Berlin was abuzz last Saturday night as the micro-budget film “Pinky Swear-Whatever She Wants “ premiered at the historic Babylon Cinema. The event, brimming with creative energy, drew attention not just for the film’s impressive credentials but for its audacious challenge to Hollywood’s big-budget spectacles.
“Pinky Swear,” written and directed by Tau Tau Menghan, starring Nadine Nourney, Christopher Schulenberg ,Sean Lee, which has already won over 20 international film awards, is set for an official theatrical release across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg. In a head-to-head battle with Hollywood’s high-profile “Fly Me to the Moon,” starring Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, and Woody Harrelson, “Pinky Swear” stirred Berlin’s indie passion with its unique blend of creativity and defiance.
The premiere was an electric celebration of Berlin’s vibrant indie spirit. The audience, many adorned with lollipop-themed accessories, turned out in force. Journalists noted everything from young girls using lollipops as hairpins to suited gentlemen sporting lollipop brooches. The film’s director, Tau Tau , fully embraced the theme, even donning a crown made entirely of lollipops.
In a quintessentially Berlin electric fashion, the cast and crew arrived in a variety of unconventional modes of transportation. Eschewing the usual limousine arrivals, they came by bikes, motorbikes, and even trams, reflecting the city’s eclectic and down-to-earth culture. The backdrop board for the event also broke from tradition, with cast and crew using brush pens and ink to sign their names, eschewing the typical Hollywood logo-laden banners.
During the exclusive Q&A session, the cast and crew shared fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. The brain-twisting plot of “Pinky Swear” left the audience buzzing with questions like “Who died in the end?” and “How many people died?” Some viewers even confessed they couldn’t sleep without answers. The unique twist was that the cast had been given entirely different scripts during shooting. Upon seeing the final cut, even they were puzzled and had to ask director Tau Tau about their character’s fates.
A standout moment of the night was the dramatic arrival of art director Nexar Antonio Florence, who saved the project at a critical moment ,Originally set to fly in from Finland, Antonio faced canceled flights due to microsoft worldwide outage ,but persevered through dramatic alternative travel plans. His eventual arrival at premiere turned into a triumphant finale, adding a layer of excitement to the evening and completing the film’s dramatic story of filmmaking resilience.
As “Pinky Swear” and its lollipop summer wave hit European cinemas, the film world eagerly awaits to see how this micro-budget indie, with its bold creativity and unconventional charm, continues to make waves. Berlin has once again proven its status as a haven for independent artists, with “Pinky Swear” standing as a testament to the triumph of artistic vision over commercialism.
Photos by Nicolai Froundjian
